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Plan-les-ouates, the so called Swiss-Disneyland

April 6, 11 11:51

A big thank you to Alex, to Christian Lefrancois and all the teams who shared with us a fantastic moment !

We were with some friends in Plan les Ouates for a visit.
We all knew the products, we all knew the amazing finish, in Plan les Ouates we understood why.
Perfection is never possible but in Plan les Ouates EVERYTHING, absolutely everything put you in the way to perfection.

First the atmosphere, the building is a marvel, the light, the conditions. People here are proud and happy to work. You see the passion and the pride in their eyes. Yes they can be !

For us as visitors every details is at an amazing level. Taking a coffee is not a simple plastic glass at the machine, or even a normal cup, it is a beautiful cup with a maltese cross, a design spoon, . That is a small detail but EVERYTHING is like that, beautiful and of a very high level. When you look at the caliber with a microscope it is the same. Everything is amazing.

Another example the community manager: you would like him to be sympathetic, open minded, smart, proud of the brand and good looking. He has to answer to some stupid questions of my side or the most provocative jokes, and always stay perfectly quiet and smiling.
No one is like that. Alex is

I have some other photos but my friends' photos are so much better, I will ask them some.

Two calibers:

A Malte Tourbillon, normal size, amazing tourbillon by its size and its finish.

And here something rarely seen, the "baguette" movement, that can bee found in some Kallas
The biggest point on the Kallas is diamond settings, the caliber is rarely spoken.
There it is:

Doesn't look so impressive as the tourbillon at first... but wait for the following photo:

This is amazing, it is sooo small. Imagine the skills needed to mount and regulate this kind of calibers !
And these are nearly "basic" compared to Grand Complications. Kalla is a masterpiec of diamond but the caliber on the work on it is not a detail...

Another domain where Vacheron is just at the top, the skeleton.
A skeleton is basically carved caliber with more bevelage. Is it only that?
Well, it is more fragile so you have to handle it carefully ! When it is an ultra thin caliber and when it is in gold it is so soft, I would be scared to touch it !
Talking of bevelage how many meters in you opinion? 2 ? 3? it is so small.
Alex correct me if I am wrong but I heard 250 !!!!!!!
So first you have to spend a lot of time to make the carving, the bevelage and the engraving. So many errors are possible ! And then you have to mount this and this fantastic amount of work very carefully, otherwise everything has to go back to the beginning !

In the end it is PERFECT ! Sounds normal for high quality watch, but in front of the work done to get there you are shocked.
It is so fantastic

Amazement is everywehere in every details.

Some other photos will follow next days

Again a big thank you to all VC teams who shared with us these moments, Alex who had a tough time with our nuts group

Thanks for sharing your visit with us Francois. I love to see the caliber 1005...I'd dare to guess that it is the oldest VC movement currently in production? At 7 lignes, its smaller than the 9 ligne 1003 too, but a rather chubby 3.6mm thick . Other dimensions are 17.4mm long and 6.2mm wide.

Liger: my pleasure, other photos will follow this week or next.
Alex: you survived our group . Good Job and thanks for the perfect organisation.
Mike: you are right, the super small movement baguette is rarely seen, and imho it is a wonder.
Maybe not the most impressive part of a Kalla ( Kallania?) but something to underline. An unseen detail that shows the degree of perfection reached on each piece.
Kalla is not only a diamond masterpiece even if it is the biggest part and an amazing work.
I will make another post on the métiers d'art. This is between poetry and insanity when you see the work done
Dean: Thanks for you inputs ! Much appreciated.
A little conclusion:
When you see the product you like it maybe love it or not.
When you see the production, you are impressed by the job done on every piece !